Battery grid casting and trimming method and machine



1962 H. c. WINKEL 3,051,030

BATTERY GRID CASTING AND TRIMMING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed Sept. 27, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. HERBERT C. l V/A/KEL ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1962 H. c. W'INKEL 3,051,030

BATTERY GRID CASTING AND TRIMMING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed Sept. 2'7, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 28, 1962 H. c. WINKEL 3,051,030

BATTERY GRID CASTING AND TRIMMING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed Sept. 2'7, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 v INVENTOR. HERBERT C. W/A/KEL f5. BY

ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1962 H. c. WINKEL 3,051,030

BATTERY GRID CASTING AND TRIMMING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed Sept. 27, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 6 "w" 32 42 M 43 .ziiil 1M."

INVENTOR. HERBERT C W/NKEL wwwMw/W A TTORNEY Aug. 28, 1962 H. c. WINKEL 3,051,030

BATTERY GRID CASTING AND TRIMMING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed Sept. 27, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. H RBE RT C. W/NKE L ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1962 H. c. WINKEL BATTERY GRID CASTING AND TRIMMING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed Sept. 27, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 lllllll /00 INVENTOR.

HEFBERTC. W/NKEL [0 By AWOENEYS United @tates Patent 3,051,030 BATTERY GRID QASTING AND TRIMMING METHGD AND MACHINE Herbert C. Winlrel, Watervliet, Mich. Filed Septo 27, 1956. Ser. No. 612,501 8 Claims. (Cl. 83268) This invention relates in general to a method and automatic machine for fabricating battery grids and, more particularly, to an improved method and structure for casting and trimming said grids, said method and machine being more effective than previous methods and structures for the same or similar purposes.

Combination grid casting and trimming machines of the general type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,638,982 have been used with reasonably satisfactory results for some time. However, in pursuance of a constant effort to improve the art, it has been observed that all previous machines of this general character, insofar as I am aware, have required some form of additional, intermediate conveyor mechanism, such as an endless belt, between the discharge chute from the mold and the ramp leading to the trimming shear. This intermediate conveyor has been used, in spite of its expense and inconvenience in maintenance, to avoid damage to the battery grids, which has heretofore occurred when the discharge chute has been connected directly to the shear ramp and the newly cast grids are moved solely by gravity. Battery grids are cast from relatively soft metal. Thus, where the conveyor belt has been omitted and the newly cast grids are moved solely by gravity, the shock of stopping the grid after it moves from the mold to the shear has heretofore often tended to distort the shape of the grid so that it is unfit for use in a battery. As shown in my Patent No. 2,621,218, the grids are cast with a pair of lugs along their leading edges, which extend beyond the casting flash and provide positive points of contact for alignment purposes. These lugs are necessarily fragile, particularly in view of the weight of the grids, and may bend easily unless they are handled with care. If the lugs are bent, the grid will be improperly positioned for trimming and, as a result, ruined by the trimming operation.

Thus, it is apparent that, in order to eliminate the intermediate conveyor mechanism and to utilize gravity as the sole means for moving the newly cast grids to the shear, particularly light or thin grids, adequate means are required to protect both the positioning lugs and the grid itself when said grid is stopped for the trimming operation after being discharged from the mold. Because of the fragile character of the lugs, the movement of the grid must be retarded very substantially before the grid can be aligned and positioned or the lugs will be distorted or bent by impact with the aligning and positioning means.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention has been the provision of an improved structure in a machine for casting and trimming battery grids, whereby the cast grids can be fed directly from the mold to the shear without an intermediate conveyor mechanism and without damaging or distorting the grids or the positioning lugs on the grids.

A further object of this invention has been the provision of a structure, as aforesaid, whereby said grids can be fed from said mold to said shear and then discharged from said shear into a receptacle entirely by gravity after discharge from said mold.

A further object of this invention has been the provision of a structure, as aforesaid, which is particularly adaptable to the handling of light or thin grids Without bending or breaking them.

A further object of this invention has been the provision 3,.d5l,03ti Patented Aug. 28, 1962 "ice of a structure, as aforesaid, which is smaller in size, requires fewer parts, is less complicated and is less expensive than previous structures for similar purposes, and which is more positive, more accurate and more efficient in its operation than said previous structures.

Other objects and purposes of this invention will become apparent to persons familiar with this type of equipment upon reading the following specification and examining the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an oblique view of a combination casting and trimming machine for battery grids, as viewed from the left front corner.

FIGURE 2 is a left side elevational view of said combination machine.

FIGURE 3 shows a fragment of the front of said combination machine as indicated by the cutting line IIIIII in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View taken along IVIV of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken along V-V of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along VI-VI of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional View taken along VII-VII of FIGURE 6, with certain parts in positions.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the line IV IV of FIGURE 3 and showing an alternate trimming structure.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of said machine, showing a modified stopping mechanism.

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along the line X--X of FIGURE 9.

For purposes of convenience in description, the combination casting and trimming machine to which this invention relates will be sometimes referred to hereinafter as a trim-caster. Also, for convenience in description, the terms upper," lower, and derivatives thereof,

the line the line the line the line different have reference to a trim-caster as appearing in FIGURES 1 and 2. The terms front, rear, and derivatives thereof, will have reference to the rightward and leftward sides, respectively, of said trim-caster as appearing in FIGURE 2. The term left side shall have reference to that side of the trim-caster appearing in FIGURE 2. The terms inner, outer, and derivatives thereof, shall have reference to the geometric center of said trim-caster and parts thereof.

General Description In order to meet the object and purposes set forth above, as well as others related thereto, a combination casting and trimming machine 10 (FIGURES l and 2) has been provided and has a base frame 11. A11 upright frame I2 is supported upon the base frame II at the rearward end thereof, for supporting a mold structure 13 upon the upper front side thereof. An inclined track or chute I4 is supported upon said base frame 11 and slopes downwardly and forwardly from a point beneath said mold structure 13. Stop mechanism 15 and trimming mechanism 16 are disposed along, and adjacent to, the path provided by said track 14 for engaging, aligning and positioning battery grids I7 and then shearing the excess metal, including the lugs 18 (FIGURE 3), from the leading and trailing edges thereof before discharging them. Appropriate drive mechanism is provided for sequentially operating the mold structure 13, certain parts of the stop mechanism. 15, and the trimming mechanism 16.

Detailed Construction side plates and 21, which are supported upon legs 22, which legs may be provided with casters 23 for convenience in moving. The upright frame 12 has a pair of side plates 24 and 25', which preferably extend upwardly from, and are substantially parallel with the respective side plates 20 and 21 of the base frame 11. A main cam shaft 26 is rotatably supported between the side plates 20 and 21 by conventional bearings 27 mounted upon said side plates 2% and 21. Said shaft may be driven in a substantially conventional manner by means including the gear 28 mounted thereon. The mold structure 13 includes a fixed mold half 31 (FIGURES 6 and 7) which is supported by means of the mold block 32 upon the forward edges of the side plates 24 and 25 near the upper ends thereof by any convenient means, such as means including bolts. Said fixed mold half 31 is arranged so that the parting line between it and the movable mold half 33 defines a substantially vertical plane when in operating position. A pair of guide pins 34 are mounted upon, and extend forwardly from, the fixed mold half 31 in a substantially conventional manner for slidably supporting said movable mold half 33 in its movement toward and away from fixed mold half 31.

A pair of support brackets 35 and 35a (FIGURES 2, 6 and 7) are mounted upon the forward or outer side of the movable mold half 33, and have upwardly opening slots 36 and 36a, respectively, into which the cross bar 37 of a U-shaped actuating member 38 is slidably disposable. Said brackets 35 and 35a are interconnected at their forward ends by a brace bar 30. The arms 40 and 41 of the member 38 extend rearwardly from the cross bar 37 along the opposite sides of the mold halves 31 and 33 to points rearwardly of the mold block 32;, where they are adjustably secured, as by means of nuts, to the actuating bar 42. Thus, the actuating member 33 and the actuating bar 42 combine to form a rectangle which surrounds the mold halves and the mold block. Hence, forward movement of the bar 42, operating through the member 38 and the support bracket 35, effects forward movement of the movable mold half 33 away from the fixed mold half 31. As shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, an actuating rod 43, which is substantially parallel with the arms 40 and 4-1, is rigidly secured to the actuating bar 42 substantially midway between the ends thereof and extends rearwardly therefrom. A pivot block 44 is slidably supported upon the rod 43, which rod is provided with a retaining nut 45 at its rearward end. Resilient means, such as the spiral spring 46, is. sleeved upon the rod 43 between the pivot block 44 and the nut 45.

A rocker arm 47 (FIGURES 2, 5 and 7) is pivotally mounted between its ends upon a rocker shaft 48, which is rotatably supported upon, and between, the side plates 24 and 25 and is substantially parallel with the main cam shaft 26 and disposed thereabove. The upper end of the rocker arm 47 is pivotally secured to the pivot block 44. The lower end of the rocker arm 47 rotatably supports a cam follower 49, which engages the periphery of the rocker cam 51 mounted upon the main cam shaft 26. As shown in FIGURE 7, the actuating member 38 is movable from its broken line position 38a into a raised position shown in solid lines by pivotal movement about the pivot axis of the pivot block 44. Likewise, the actuating member 38 is movable forwardly and rearwardly between its positions shown in broken lines at 38a in FIGURE 7 and in solid lines in FIGURE 6. The rearward movement of the actuating member 38 by the rocker arm 47 is effected by means of engagement between the rocker cam 51 and the cam follower 49. However, the forward movement of said actuating member 38, hence, the upper end of the rocker arm 47, is effected by a spring 52 connected between the rocker arm 47 near its lower end and the rear wall 53 of the upright frame 12. The tension of the spring 52, which urges the follower 49 against the cam 51, is adjusted by means of the screw device '54, which is mounted upon said rear wall 53 and engages the rearward end of said spring 52.

A molten materials ladle 55 (FIGURES 1, 2 and 5) is pivotally mounted upon the ladle shaft 56, which is rotatably suported upon the upper end of the mold block 32. The ladle shaft 56 is engaged at its leftward end by a lever 57 for pivoting said ladle 55' into and out of a position, as shown by broken lines in FIGURE 2, for pouring the molten metal into the gate 58 (FEGURE 7) in the upper end of the mold halves 31 and The ladle lever 57 is connected by means of the link rod 59 to the upper arm 61 of a V-shaped crank 62, which is pivotally mounted near its apex 63 upon the outer surface of the left side plate 24 for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis. The lower arm 64 of the crank 62 rotatably supports a cam follower 65, which is actuable by the ladle cam 66 mounted upon, and rotatable with, the left end of the main cam shaft 26 which extends through the left side plate 2% The free end of the upper crank arm 61 has an opening through which a bolt 6?: slidably extends. The threaded end of said bolt 68 is anchored upon the base frame 11 by means of the leftwardly extending support bar 69. A spring 67 is sleeved upon said bolt between said upper arm 61 and the headed end of the bolt. The spring 67 tends to urge the follower 65 toward the cam 66 and the ladle 55 away from the mold gate 58.

As shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the fixed mold half 31 is provided with a plurality, here four, of knock-out pins 71, which extend through suitable, substantially parallel openings in the fixed mold half 31 into the mold cavity 72;. The rear ends of said pins 71 are connected, two each, to a pair of substantially parallel and horizontal bars 73, which are each slidably supported upon a pair of guide bolts 74 near the opposite ends of each, for movement toward and away from the rearward surface of said fixed mold half 31. Springs 75, which encircle the guide bolts 7 4 between said horizontal bars 73 and said fixed mold half 31 tend to urge said horizontal bars 73 away from said fixed mold, thereby urging said pins 71 into their retracted position, as shown in FIGURE 6.

A pair of substantially parallel, vertical bars 76, which are spaced from each other, are secured between their ends, respectively, to a pair of substantially parallel and horizontal slide rods '77, which slidably extend through suitable openings in the mold block 32 disposed substantially parallel with the knock-out pins 71. The vertical bars 76 may be secured to the horizontal bars 73, or simply held against said horizontal bars by any suitable resilient means, not shown. The rearward ends of the horizontal rods 77 are normally engageable by means, such as the bolts 78, adjustably secured to, and extending forwardly from, the actuating bar 42 of the actuating member 38. Engagement between the bolts 78 and the slide rods 77, as the actuating member 38 is moved forwardly, effects forward movement of the knock-out pins 71, thereby extending them into the mold cavity 72. The knock-out pins 71 will rarely extend more than a small amount, such as inch, into the mold cavity for stripping the molded article therefrom. Thus, in order to expose said knockout pins 71 more completely for the purpose of greasing same, a hand operated mechanism 81 (FIGURES 6 and 7) is provided for extending the knock-out pins 71 a much greater distance.

The hand operated extender $1 is comprised of a pivot shaft 82 rotatably supported upon the side plates 24 and 25 for rotation about an axis substantially parallel with, and above, the rocker shaft 48. A pair of levers 83 are secured to the pivot shaft 82 for engagement with the rearward ends of the slide rods 77. A handle 84 is secured to the leftward end of the pivot shaft 82 for moving the levers 83 toward and away from the slide rods 77. When the manual extending device 81 is not in operation, the handle 84 and levers 83 are moved into the positions shown in broken lines at 83a and 84a, respectively, in FIGURE 7. In order to facilitate operation of the hand extender 81, the actuating member 38 is advantageously pivoted into its upper, solid line position, as shown in FIGURE 7. Obviously, the fixed and movable mold halves must be separated from each other, as shown in FIGURE 7, when the hand extender is used for the purpose for which it was designed, namely, to grease the knock-out pins. It will be recognized, however, that where necessary the hand extender 81 can be used as the principal knock-out actuating mechanism, particularly where the regular source of energization of the knock-out pins 71 has failed to dislodge the molded article from the fixed mold half.

The machine is provided with an inclined track 14 (FIGURES 1 and 2) which, in this particular embodiment, is comprised of a pair of spaced, substantially parallel plates 85 and 86, which extend from a point disposed below the parting line of the mold halves 31 and 3:3 to a discharge point spaced therefrom. As disclosed here, a stop mechanism and a trimming mechanism 16, which is cooperable with said stop mechanism, are provided between the upper and lower plates 85 and 86 of the inclined track 14-. The upper plate 8'5 is mounted upon the base frame 1 1 and is substantially wider than a grid 17, which it is intended to convey or guide. The stop mechanism 15, in one form of this invention, is comprised of first, second and third stop devices 9%, 1% and 12d (FIGURES 2, 3 and 4). The first stop device 90 is comprised of a stop sheet 91 of relatively stiff material, which is arranged crosswise of the upper plate 85 and ex tends upwardly, divergently with respect to said upper plate 85 from a position adjacent to the upper surface thereof. The lower end of the stop sheet 91 is mounted upon the lower surface of a support bar 92, which extends crosswise of the upper plate 85 near the lower end thereof. Said support bar 92 is slidably mounted at its opposite ends upon a pair of substantially parallel support posts 93, which are disposed perpendicularly to the upper plate 85 and secured thereto near its opposite lateral edges. A pair of springs 94 are sleeved upon the support posts 93 between said support bar 92 and enlargements 95 near the upper ends of said support posts 93 for constantly and resiliently urging the support bar 92, hence the stop sheet 91, downwardly against the upper plate 85.

A pair of pivot bars 96 and 97 (FIGURES 2 and 3) are pivotally and coaxially mounted upon the outer surfaces of the side plates 2% and 21, respectively, of the base frame 11 near the front end thereof and extend upwardly and rearwardly from said pivot points. A pair of lift rods 98 are secured to, and extend upwardly from, the rear ends of the bars 96 and g7, respectively, on opposite sides of the upper plate 35, for engagement with the support bar 92. Thus, upward movement of the pivot bars 96 and 97 will effect an upward movement of the support bar 92, thereby compressing the support post springs 9 1 Cam followers 99 are rotatably supported upon the pivot bars 96 and 97, respectively, between the ends of said bars. These cam followers are engageable by the lobes 101 on a pair of cam wheels 1% which are mounted upon, and rotatable with, the opposite ends of a shear cam shaft 1tt2. Said shear cam shaft 1&2 is rotatably supported upon, and extends through, the side plates and 21 of the base frame 11 for supporting said cam wheels 190 outwardly of said base frame 11. The support post springs 94 tend to urge the shear cam followers 99 into positive, continuous engagement with the cam lobes 161. The shear cam shaft 1G2 is driven in any convenient manner, as by means of a chain and sprocket arrangement 1% (FIGURE 5) connected to the main cam shaft 26. Thus, rotation of the shear cam shaft 102 is positively synchronized with the rotation of the main cam shaft 26.

A second stop device 1&6 (FIGURES 2, 3 and 4) is comprised, in this particular embodiment, of a pair of parallel, peripherally engaged rollers 1il7 and 1%, which are both substantially tangent at their line of peripheral contact to a plane defined by the upper surface of the upper plate 85. Said rollers 107 and 168 are rotatably supported upon the base frame 11, adjacent to the lower end of the upper plate 35, for engaging a grid 17 released by the first stop device 90. The upper roller 167 has a shaft 1%, the opposite ends of which are respectively disposed between two pairs of upstanding guide pins 11% (FrGURES 2 and 3) mounted upon the track 14. Said upper roller 1'57 floats or rides upon the lower roller 1618, which is positively driven by means such as the chain and sprocket arrangement 109 (FIGURE 2) from the shear cam shaft 162.

The trimming mechanism 16 is comprised of a fixed shear member 111, which is supported upon the base frame 11 between the second stop device 1&6 and the lower plate 85, and a movable shear member 112, which is slidably supported upon the guide posts 113, secured to said fixed member 111, for movement toward and away from the fixed shear member. The upper shear member 112 mounts along its rearward and forward sides a pair of blades 114 and 115 having lower edges disposed for shearing engagement with the fixed shear member 111. A blade stripper piate 116 is resiliently supported upon the lower surface of the upper shear member 112 (for stripping the article from its position between the blades 114 and 115, after a shearing operation. The upper movable shear member 112 is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the upper end of a pair of bars 117, which are pivotally connected at their lower ends upon the shear cam wheels1-d at the same distance from the shear cam shaft The trimming mechanism 16 receives the grid 17 from the second stop device 1%. Thus, the bars 117 are connected to said cam wheels 1% so that said upper shear member 112 and said pivot bars as and 97 are raised at about the same time.

A third stop device 12 3 is mounted upon the base frame 11 near the upper end of the lower plate 86 for positioning a grid 17 Within the trimming mechanism 16. Said third stop device 121 is comprised of a stop bar 121 which is disposed transversely of the lower plate 86 adjacent to the upper edge thereof. Said bar 121 is secured at its opposite ends to the rearward ends of a pair of levers 122 which are pivotally and coaxially secured near their forward ends upon opposite sides of the base frame 11. Thus, the stop bar 121 is movable upwardly away from the lower plate 86. A latch ba 12?.- is pivotal-1y mounted between its upper and lower ends upon the forward side of the upper shear member 112 for movement about a substantially horizontal axis. The lower end of said latch bar 1 23 is provided with a hook 12 engageable with the stop bar 121when said movable shear member 112 is in its lowered position. A spring is secured between the upper end of the latch bar 123 and said movable shear member 112, and urges the hook toward the stop bar 121. As the upper member 112 is moved upwardly, the hook 124 engages the stop bar 121 and moves it upwardly, thereby permitting the grid 17 disposed within the trimming mechanism 16 to move downwardly onto the lower plate 86. An adjustment screw 12d controls the distance which the hook 124- can extend toward the stop bar 121 and thereby controls the point at which the paths of said member 112 and said bar 121 become sufficently divergent that the hook 124 becomes disengaged from said stop bar 121, thereby permitting it to fall back upon the plate 35. Said stop bar 121 is provided with a cam surface 127 aligned with the latch bar 123, along which the hook 124- is permitted to siide downwardly past, and beneath, said stop bar during the downward movement of the movable shear member 112.

As shown in FlGURE 4, a chute 128 is disposed below the trimming mechanism 16 with its upper end adjacent to the upper end of the lower plate 86. Thus, waste materialssheared from the grid 17 by the blades 114 and 115 will drop between the side plates 20 and 21 of the base frame 11 into said chute 128 for deposit in any convenient container, not shown, provided under said chute 128 for receiving such materials. The lower end of the lower plate 86 may be curved forwardly, as

7 shown in FIGURE 2, to alter the attitude of the grid 17 just as it departs the inclined chute 14. However, this is a matter of choice and not essential to the invention.

Alternate Structures The stopping mechanism 15, including the first, second and third stop devices 9t 1% and 120, disclosed in FIGURE 2, may be modified substantially within the fundamental concepts of this invention. For example, FIGURES 8 and 9 respectively, disclose two alternate stop mechanisms 12? and 141 in combination with a trimming mechanism 16.

The alternate structure 129 (FIGURE 8) includes a first stop device 913 which is comprised of a stop sheet 91 mounted upon a support bar 92, as in the previously described embodiment of the invention. The support bar 92 may be mounted for movement on bolts E3 with respect to the base frame 11.

The second stop device 133 of the alternate structure 129 (FIGURE 8) is comprised of an angle member 134 having one flange 135 substantially parallel with the upper plate 85 and secured along its free edge to the upper surface of the support bar 92. The other flange 136 of said member 134 extends downwardly and substantially perpendicularly to the upper plate 85 adjacent to its lower edge. Thus, said flange 136 is movable by the support bar 92 into, and out of, a position intercepting the plane defined by the upper surface of the upper plate 85 and adjacent to the lower edge thereof. In this alternate structure 129, each shear cam ltl la (FIGURE 8) is circumferentially elongated and provided with two different dwell levels 146 and 147. Thus, the support bar 92 and angle member 134 (FIGURE 8) are moved upwardly by said dwells in two steps, indicated by the broken line showings of the upper flange 135 of the member 134 at the positions 135a and 13511. With the first upward movement of the support bar 92 into position 135a, a grid 17 is released from between the stop sheet 91 and the upper plate 85 and permitted to move against the lower flange 136. When the support bar 92 is moved into its upper position 135 b, the grid 17 is permitted to slide under the flange 166. A transverse stripping bar 137, disposed under the flange 135 and adjacent to the flange 136, is supported upon the base frame 11 by means of the posts 138. The posts 138 are disposed adjacent the side edges of plate 85 and are spaced apart so that the grids can slide therebetween. The stripping bar 137 is disposed directly above the lower edge of the upper plate 85 so as to permit the grid to slide thereunder and it prevents the front end of the grid 17 from moving upwardly with the flange 136 as flange 135 is moved upwardly by the support bar 92 from position 135a to 135k. The grid then is permitted to move downwardly against a third stop device, which may be substantially the same as the third stop device 120 in FIGURE 2.

In a second alternate structure 14d (FIGURE 9), there are two intermediate stop devices 133 and 143 between the first and last stop devices. The first stop device 99, the intermediate stop device 133 and the last stop device 120 are the same as in the previously described embodiments of the invention.

The third stop device 143 may in some instances be the same as the stop device 106 (FIGURE 4) but is preferably as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, wherein the upper roller 107 will be raised away from the lower roller 198 before the grid 17 would otherwise be released from said rollers and slide into position against the stop bar 121. To accomplish this, the opposite ends of the shaft 105 are mounted in pillow blocks 143 which are slidably disposed between the guide pins 11%. Said pillow blocks have lateral extensions 149 (FIGURE 10) to which lifts pins 151 are secured, each lift pin extending downwardly from said extension 149 for engagement at its lower end by means, such as the bar 152, which is pivotally supported upon the frame 11 above, and outwardly of,

the pivot bar 96. A separate lobe 153'is provided on the cam wheel 109m engage a cam follower 154.0n the pivot bar 152. A further cam lobe 1531) may be provided in conjunction with the cam lobe 153 to effect a predetermined raising of the bar 92 and roller 107. The pivot bar 96 will continue to be raised by the cam lobe 153 on the wheel 1% in the same manner as disclosed above with respect to the lobe M1 on the wheel 1% in FIGURE 2. The cam lobe 15% is provided with an intermediate dwell level 153a which corresponds to, and serves the same purpose as, the dwell level 14 6 on the cam lobe 101a in FIGURE 8.

Operation As indicated in the above description and drawings, the various moving parts of the casting and shearing device 141 are positively interconnected to operate as an integrated unit. Thus, the operation of the mold structure 13, the stopping mechanism 15, the trimming mechanism 16, the main cam shaft 26, the shear cam shaft 1192 and the ladle 55 have a built-in synchronization which permits smooth, efiicient and completely automatic operation.

The normal starting position of the machine 10 will find the mold structure 13 in the closed position, as shown in FIGURE 2, and the ladle 55 in the raised position, so that the first step of the cycle of operation can be accomplished. Mainly, this first step is effected by an engagement between the ladle cam 66 and its cam follower 65, whereby the ladle 55 is moved downwardly toward the gate 58 into the broken line position 55a (FIGURE 2). The ladle 55 deposits a predetermined and proper amount of molten material into the mold cavity 7 2, after which the spring 67 and the bolt 68 force the crank 62 downwardly, thereby raising the ladle 55 in a conventional manner when the ladle cam 66 permits such movement.

After a predetermined period of time, depending upon the spacing between the lobes on the rocker cam 51 and the ladle cam 66, the movable mold half 33 will be moved away from the fixed mold half 31 by the actuating member 38. This is accomplished by operation of the rocker cam 51 against the lower end of the rocker arm 47, which permits the spring 52 to move the lower end of said rocker arm rearwardly, thereby moving the upper end of said rocker arm, hence the member 38, frontwardly. As the mold structure 13 approaches its fully opened position, that is, with the movable mold half 33 nearly in its fully forward position (FIGURE 7), the knock-out bolts 78 engage the slide rods 77, thereby causing the knockout pins 71 to be extended into the mold cavity 72, whereby the grid 17 disposed within said mold cavity 72 is ejected therefrom.

The molded grid 17, having been discharged from the mold cavity 72, drops downwardly until its lower edge engages the upper plate near its upper end. The grid then moves along said upper plate 85 until it becomes frictionally lodged between the converging, opposing surfaces of the stop sheet 91 on the first stop device 9il and said upper plate 85. The Springs 94 on the support posts 93 permit movement of the support bar 92, hence the stop sheet 91 secured thereto, upwardly away from said upper plate 85 to absorb the shock of the impact between the grid 17 moving down the upper plate 85 and the stop sheet 91 which it engages and wedges against. Thus, the combination of the wedging efiYect of the stop sheet and the resilience of the spring 94 prevents damage to the grid 17 as it is being stopped in its downward travel along the upper plate 85, even though said grid may be askew When it initially engages the stop sheet 91.

After a brief period of time, the lobes on the cam wheels engage the cam follower 99 on the pivot bars 96 and 97, thereby operating through the lift rods 98 to raise the support bar 92, hence the stop sheet 91. This permits the grid 17 to slide under the stop sheet 91 and move downwardly into engagement with the upper and lower rollers 107 and 108 of the second stop device 106, adjacent to their engaging portions. The lower roller 108 is driven at a relatively slow rate so that, if the grid 17 is askew with respect to its direction of movement, when released by the first stop device 90, the grid may be at least partially aligned by the second stop device as it engages said rollers. The grid is then moved forwardly by the rollers onto the upper surface of the fixed shear member 111, the upper movable shear member 112 being in the raised position, as shown in FIGURE 2.

Before the grid comes into contact with the stop bar 121 of the third stop device 120, it is released from engagement between the rollers of the second stop device 106. As shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, the upper roller 107 may be raised out of engagement with the grid 17 prior to the time when the grid would normally be discharged from between, and by the rotation of, the rollers 107 and 108. Such raising of roller 107, eifected by cam lobe 153, will assure the release of a grid having a large or irregular gate sprue, which might otherwise impede the progress of said grid between the rollers 107 and 108.

In each form of the invention the stop bar 121 (FIG- URES 2 and 3) which is engaged by the lugs 18 on the leading end of the grid 17, completes the alignment of the grid and positions said grid for the shearing operation. Shortly after engaging stop bar 121, the upper shear member 112 is moved downwardly so that its blades 114 and 115 shear off the excess material, both at the front and rear edges of the grid 17. Obviously, either one or the other of said blades 114 and 115 could be omitted, if desired. The excess material which is re- ,moved from the grid 17 by the blades 114 and 115 drops through the base frame 11 onto the chute 128, which deposits it in any convenient container provided therebeneath.

As the movable shear member 112 is moved upwardly away from the fixed shear member 111, the stripper plate 116 (FIGURE 4) urges or strips the sheared grid downwardly from between the blades 114 and 115 in a substantially conventional manner. Also, as said movable shear member 112 moves upwardly, the hook 124 on the latch bar 123 will engage and lift the stop bar 121 upwardly away from the lower plate 86 so that the grid 17, after it is stripped by the plate 116, can move forwardly onto the lower plate 86. Before the upper movable shear .member 112 reaches its top position, the

hook 124 becomes disengaged from the stop bar 121, thereby permitting it to move downwardly by the force of gravity against the lower plate 86 in position to stop the next grid. This completes one cycle of operation of the machine.

It will be noted, however, that the next cycle of operation of the machine will have begun before the first cycle of operation is completed. More specifically, the movable mold half 33 will be moved by the actuating member 38 back into its closed position adjacent to the fixed mold half 31, as shown in FIGURE 2, shortly after the grid molded in the first cycle is ejected therefrom. Thus, the second cycle can commence as soon as the first grid is dropped from the mold halves and said halves are together again. Cooling of the mold structure 13, after a grid is poured, provides ample time for the grid molded in the previous cycle to be released from the first stop device 90 and said stop device 90 returned to the blocking position, before the grid being formed in the next cycle by the mold structure 13 is in condition for release therefrom. The operation of the machine 10 in the second cycle will be substantially identical with the operation of the machine in the first cycle described above, and such operation will be completely automatic.

Where the alternate structures shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 are used, the general operation of the machine will be substantially the same as discussed above with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2. In the case of the alternate structure 129, shown in FIGURE 8, the low dwell 146 of the modified cam lobe 101a partially raises the support bar 92 so that the stop sheet 91 releases the grid 17 held thereby and the upper flange 135 assumes the broken line position 135a. After such release from the first stop device 90, the grid 17 will move down the upper plate until. it engages the lower flange 136 of the second stop device 133. Shortly thereafter, the support bar 92 will be moved upwardly again by the high dwell 147 of cam lobe 101a until the lower flange 136 is completely out of the path of the grid and the upper flange is in its position 135b. The stripping bar 137 prevents upward movement of the grid with the lower flange 136 during the movement thereof. Thus, the grid then moves by gravity, only, from its position adjacent to the lower edge of the upper plate 85 downwardly onto the fixed shear member 111, with its leading edge against the stop bar 121 of the third stop device 120. The remainder of the operation of a machine having the alternate structure 129 may be the same as described above with respect to the structure of FIGURE 2.

In the operation of the second alternate structure 141 (FIGURES 9 and 10), the grid 17 moves downwardly along the upper plate 85 until it engages the first stop device 90. The grid is then released and it engages the first intermediate stop device 133 and said grid is thereby aligned with respect to the shear. The grid then moves downwardly, upon appropriate release from stop device 133, until it engages the second intermediate stop device 143. The grid is then fed by the rollers of the second intermediate device 143 into the trimming mechanism 16 in substantially the same manner as discussed in detail hereinabove with respect to the second stop device 106. Where the roller lifting mechanism is used, the lobe 153 on cam wheel will engage the cam follower 154 a suitable space of time following the entry of the grids into the rollers and thereby separate the rollers. This will enable the rollers to clear and pass any irregularities which may exist on the trailing end of the grid casting.

From here on, the operation of the machine with respect to the alternate structure 141 is substantially identical to that disclosed hereinabove with respect to the form of the invention shown in FIGURE 2.

While all forms of the invention are well adapted for handling grids of various types without damage thereto, it should be noted that the types utilizing rollers (FIG- URES 1 to 7 and FIGURE 9) are preferable for extremely light or thin grids.

When it becomes necessary to manually operate the knock-out pins 71, this is best accomplished by raising the forward end of the actuating member 33 and then moving the handle 8-1 (FIGURE 2) in a clockwise direction until the levers 83 thereon engage the rearward ends of the slide rods '77, thereby causing the knock-out pins 71 to move into the mold cavity 72. The purpose of raising the actuating member 38 is to get its actuating bar 42 out of the path of the levers 83. The hand extender 81 will extend the knock-out pins 71 a greater distance than normal into the mold cavity 72 for the purpose of greasing said knock-out pins, which greasing i otherwise extremely diflicult. After the manual operation of the knock-out pins 71 is completed, for one reason or another, the actuating member 38 is lowered back into the position shown in FIGURE 2, and operation of the trim-caster 10 may be continued, as desired or required.

Although particular, preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed hereinabove for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that modification or variations thereof which do not depart from the scope of such disclosure are fully contemplated unless expressly stated to the contrary in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for trimming a battery grid including an inclinedtrack extending downardly, the combination comprising: a first device spaced. downwardly from the upper end of said track for releasably engaging and retanding a grid as it moves alongtsaid track, said first device including a pressure plate disposed transversely above said track, said pressure plate and said track diverging with respect to each other toward the upper end of the track, said first device also including a stop member located beyond the lower end of said pressure plate, said stop member having a planar surface extending perpendicular to the upper surface of said track; a second device arranged along said track for receiving and aligning a grid released from said first device, said second device including a pair of parallel, adjacent rolls located adjacent the lower end of the upper portion of said track, the axes of said rolls defining a first plane substantially perpendicular to a second plane passing between said rolls and substantial-1y defined by the upper surface of said track; a third device arranged along said track for receiving a grid released from said second device and for positioning same in a trimming location; a shear arranged to trim a grid held in trimming location by said third device; and actuating means for effecting the retarding, aligining, positioning and trimming of said grid in a predetermined rnanner, said actuating means including lift means operable in timed relation to the movement of said shear for reciprocating said pressure plate between one position adjacent said track and another position spaced therefrom a greater distance than the thickness of the grid and for reciprocating said member between one position intersecting said second plane and another position spaced from said second plane a distance greater than the thickness of the grid, the reciprocation of said pressure plate and said member being synchronized so that said member intersects said second plane when a grid is released from said pressure plate, said actuating means also including drive means for rotating one of said rolls in a peripheral direction away from said first device along said second plane.

2. In a machine for trimming a battery grid including an inclined track extending downwardly, the combination comprising:

a first device spaced downwardly from the upper end of said track for releasably engaging and retarding a grid as it moves along said track, said first device comprising an inclined, elongated pressure plate disposed directly above said track, said pressure plate and said track diverging with respect to each other toward the upper portion of said track;

a second device arranged along said track for receiving and aligning a grid released from said first device;

a third device arranged along said track for receiving a grid released from said second device and positioning same in trimming location;

a shear arranged to trim a grid held in trimming location by said third device;

actuating means for effecting the retarding, aligning, positioning and trimming of a grid in a predetermined manner, said actuating means including lift means operable in timed relation to movement of said shear for reciprocating said pressure plate between one position wherein its lower end is adjacent said track so that the grid moving along said track is gradually slowed by frictional engagement with said pressure plate and is finally stopped when it reaches the lower portion of said pressure plate and another position wherein its lower end is spaced from said track a greater distance than the thicknes of the grid so that the previously stopped grid is released;

said second device comprising a stop member having a substantially planar surface located adjacent to the lower end of said upper portion of said track and movable with said pressure plate, said surface being disposed substantially perpendicularly to a plane defined by the upper surface of said upper portion and saidplane being intersected'by said planar surface when said pressure plate is in said one and said another positions;

control means for causing said pressure plate to move to an outer position beyond said another position, said stop member being spaced from said plane said greater distance when said pressure plate is in said outer position; and

means for stripping a grid from engagement with said stop member as said stop member moves away from said plane.

3. In a machine for trimming a battery grid including an inclined track extending downwardly, the combination comprising:

a first device disposed above the track for releasably engaging, retarding and then stopping a grid as it moves along said track;

a second device arranged along said track for receiving and aligning a grid released from said first device, said second device comprising a pair of parallel, adjacent rolls located adjacent the lower end of said track, the axes of said rolls defining a first plane substantially perpendicular to a second plane passing between said rolls and substantially defined by the upper surface of said track;

a third device arranged along said track for receiving a grid released from said second device and for positioning same in trimming location;

a shear arranged to trim a grid held in a trimming location by said third device;

actuating means for effecting the retarding, aligning, positioning and trimming of a grid in a predetermined manner, said actuating means including drive means for rotating one of said rolls in a peripheral direction away from said first device along aid second plane;

said first device including a stop member located between the lower end of said upper portion of said track and said rolls, said stop member having a planar surface substantially parallel with said first plane;

said actuating means including lift means responsive to movement of said shear for reciprocating said member between one position intersecting said second plane and another position spaced from said second plane a distance greater than the thickness of said grid, said member intersecting said second plane when a grid is released from said first device, said released grid being engaged by said member; and

means for stripping a grid from engagement with said member as it moves towards its said another position.

4. In a machine for trimming a newly cast battery grid which is in an easily distortable condition, the combination comprising:

an inclined track for supporting substantially the entire grid;

holding means for releasably holding said grid above said track having a grid-engaging surface extending angularly downwardly from a point beneath said holding means, the slope of said track being such that the grid is movable along said track from said point to the lower end of the track substantially by gravity, all portions of said grid-engaging surface of said track between said point and said lower end being substantially parallel;

a first stop device spaced downwardly from said point,

said device having a member for releasably engaging and retarding said grid as it moves along said track, said member being above said grid-engaging surface of said track and having a portion thereof diverging with said surface at a relatively small angle with respect thereto toward said point, and means yieldably urging said member toward said track and into the path of said grid;

actuating means for releasing said member from engagement with said grid, whereby said grid can move down said track;

a second stop device arranged along said track between said first stop device and the lower end of said track, said second stop device being near said first stop device and having means for engaging and locating in a trimming position a grid released from said first stop device;

a shear arranged substantially between said second stop device and said member to trim said grid in said trimming position, said grid being maintained substantially parallel with said grid-engaging surface of said track as said grid moves from said point to said trimming position; and

Control means for controlling said holding means, said first and second stop device, and said shear in a predetermined sequence.

5. A machine according to claim 4, including a pair of parallel, adjacent rolls located between said first stop device and said shear, the axes of said rolls defining a first plane substantially perdendicular to a second plane passing between said rolls and substantially defined by the grid-engaging surface of said track; and

wherein said control means includes drive means, synchronized with the movement of said shear, for rotating one of said rolls in a peripheral direction away from said first stop device along said second plane.

6. A machine according to claim 4, wherein said portion of said member is an elongated, flat plate extending transversely of said track and disposed at a slight angle to the surface of said track; and

wherein said actuating means includes lift means for moving said plate between one position, wherein said portion is closely adjacent said surface for engaging a grid moving along said track and for gradually retarding by friction said movement of said grid, and another position Where said portion is spaced from said surface a distance greater than the thickness of a grid so that said grid is released.

7. A machine according to claim 6, wherein said yieldable means includes resilient means for urging said portion toward said one position thereof, said resilient means acting in opposition to said lift means and yieldably opposing movement of said portion toward said another position thereof.

8. A machine according to claim 6, in which: said lift means includes a bar extending across and substantially parallel with said grid-engaging surface of said track, said member being mounted upon said bar;

spring means acts on said bar and continuously urges same toward said grid-engaging surface;

said control means includes a shaft, means connecting said shaft to said shear so that rotation of said shaft effects operation of said shear and a cam mounted on said shaft; and

said lift means is in engagement with said cam for the raising and lowering of said bar in timed relation to the operation of the shear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 133,673 Searls Dec. 3, 1872 686,075 Huber Nov. 5, 1901 1,956,022 Graves Apr. 24, 1934 2,028,790 Lund Jan. 28, 1936 2,253,280 Lormor Aug. 19, 1941 2,277,234 Kerns Mar. 24, 1942 2,278,815 Winkel Apr. 7, 1942 2,303,760 Rafter Dec. 1, 1942 2,638,982 Winkel May 19, 1953 2,654,939 Donath Oct. 13, 1953 

